Flagship stores fulfill shoppers' fantasies

Visiting a large retail company’s flagship store is often a heady event. Flagships are one of a company’s highest visibility options for expressing their aesthetic point of view. Siri Stafford, Getty Images

Stepping into Ralph Lauren's flagship store in New York is like being instantly transported into one of the designer's iconic ads. Every inch of the “Madison Avenue Mansions” is carefully
thought out and perfectly designed to reflect the Ralph Lauren
lifestyle. Ralph Lauren

At the Los Angeles flagship of Alexander McQueen, the clothes seemingly float in
space. Don’t miss the “Angel of the Americas” sculpture, commissioned exclusively for the store by McQueen before his death in 2010. Jerine Lay

Out of the six Louis Vuitton locations on the
Las Vegas strip, the one most worth exploring is the City Center shop, the
largest in North America. The 14,000-square-foot space features a
31-foot chandelier. At night, the exterior transforms into
a light show boasting more than 4,000 LED lights. Flickr/Ken Lund

The largest Nordstrom store in the U.S. fittingly resides in the company's founding city, Seattle. Brand devotees still insist the downtown flagship features the best of available merchandise. Hollywata

It’s impossible to miss the
tartan-wrapped Burberry flagship on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, which opened just a
year ago. The 5-story building is the British designer’s second largest
store in North America. Shoppers can watch live events
broadcast through a “Burberry Retail Theatre” in-store. Flickr/Naotake Murayama

Despite the convenience of online shopping, there is no greater feeling than walking into a beautifully designed retail store where the experience is just as important as the purchase itself. Flagship stores are where brands showcase their entire collections and market themselves through every sensory experience. Everything from the paint color on the walls and the light fixtures to the scent and mannequin style is carefully chosen to represent the brand.

Major international designers like Louis Vuitton, Prada and Burberry have more than one flagship location across the world, while other brands like up-and-coming shoe designer Brian Atwood have just one anchor location.

The experience of shopping in these mega-stores should transport the customer to a fantasy world: the World of Ralph Lauren, the World of Zara. Customers that enter a flagship store should feel as though they are part of the brand. Upon entering Blanc de Chine on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, customers instantly feel tranquil, a paradox to the bustling street behind the glass door. A stroll through Alexander McQueen's Los Angeles flagship is bizarrely shocking and mysteriously creepy, reflective of the namesake's reputation for over-the-top controversial designs.

One thing can be said for any of these museum-like brick-and-mortars: they are worth the pilgrimage for any fashion addict. This holiday season, experience the thrill of shopping in these breathtaking flagship locations across the United States.